Stranding machine



S. W. RIPLEY STRANDING MACHINE Nov. 17, 1953 Filed April 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l J 9% itorneys N m 111i) l I nventor WarM'ct/fi' m mm v os mm vw mv d S. W. RIPLEY STRANDING MACHINE Nov. 17, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6, 1951 Attorney;

Nov. 17, 1953 s. w. RIPLEY STRANDING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sfanky Warn 4' AIky NOV. 17, 1953 s, w, R|PLEY 2,659,192

STRANDING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor stanl mmiw Ri t A ttorneyf sections running out;

Patented Nov. 17, 1953 STRAN DING MACHINE Stanley Warwick Ripley, Gravesend, England, as-

signor to British Insulated Callcnders Cables Limited, London, England, a British company Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,610

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 20, 1950 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to stranding machines, that is, to machines for stranding together a number of wires to form a stranded electric conductor or a wire rope. In such machines each component wire is drawn off from a supply reel or bobbin and led to and passed through a rotating guide or lay plate which lays it helically, generally around an advancing centre core, which may be a single wire or a previously stranded group of wires. In particular the invention is concerned with stranding machines of the kind in which (or in a section of which) the wire-com taining bobbins are mounted with their axes coincident with the machine axis, and the wires as they are drawn off from the bobbins due to the forward movement imparted to the stranded conductor by the draw ofi wheel or capstan are guided towards a lay plate by a rotating flyer. In such machines, as indeed with most types of stranding machines, it is necessary, when the bobbins run out, to stop the machine, remove the empty bobbins and insert full bobbins in their places, to join the tail ends of the wires from the run out bobbins to the leading ends of the wires from the full bobbins and then to restart the machine.

By the present invention we provide a stranding machine having one or more sections of axially aligned bobbins which eliminates the need for handling the bobbins in such section or sections and considerably reduces the duration of stoppages due to the bobbins of such section or In our improved machine, which comprises a section'or unit (ora number of;sections or units), consisting of two'axially aligned groups of axially aligned bobbins, provision-1's made for drawing oiI wires from each of the two groups alternately and guiding them towards a lay plate. Means are. also provided for rotatably driving the bobbins of each group of a section independently ofthose of the other group of the section for the purpose of re-winding them whilst in the machine and whilst wire is being drawn off from those of the other group. The invention will be more fully explained with the aid of the accompanying drawings,'wherein Figures 1a and 1b together constitute a dia- Figure 2 is a plan on a greatly enlarged scale as compared with Figures 1a and 1b, showing one of the sections of two groupsof axially aligned bobbins, of which the machine shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 is built up,

Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional view drawn to a still larger scale and showing in greater detail the way in which one of the groups of bobbins of the section or unit shown in Figure 2 is supported and the speed of the bobbins controlled,

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line IVIV in Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a fragmental elevation of one of the sections of two groups of axially aligned bobbins of a modified form of the machine shown in Figures 1-4, and

Figure 6 is a fragmental end view of the brakedrum shown in Figure 5. I

Referring first to Figures 1a and 1b, it is ex plained that-the machine shown is designed to strand together thirty-seven wires to form a stranded conductor comprising an inner layer of SIX wires laid around a central wire, an intermediate layer of twelve wires laid around the inner layer and an outer layer of eighteen wires laid around the intermediate layer. To this end it comprisessix axially aligned sections or units designated I, II VI. These sections or units are similar and each consists of two axially aligned groups of axially aligned bobbins. They are arranged to form three groups, .the first of which consists of section I the bobbins of which supply the wires for the inner layer, the second of sectlons II and III, which together contain the bobbins supplying the wires for the intermediate layer, and the third of sections IV, V and VI, which together contain the bobbins supplying the wires for the outer layer of the stranded conductor. Each section comprises a main support tube I which is rotatably supported in bearings V I .2, 3 and is rotatably driven by a chain and sprocket drive 4, the rear section,.section I, being driven from lay shaft 5, sections II and III forming the intermediate group being driven through a second lay shaft 6, and the front section being driven through a third lay shaft. 1. All three lay shafts are driven by a motor 8, which through lay shaft 1, also drives a draw-off capstan 9 and a take-up reel 10.

The front end of the main support tube of the rear section, section I, carries a lay plate 55 which guides the wires from the section to the stranding point for that section. The corresponding parts of the sections III and VI each carr a lay plate which guides the wires from the section and from the section or sections with which it is associated to form a group, to the stranding point for the group, To impart to the stranded conductor as it is being produced a noncircular section and a pre-spiralled formation, a pre-spiralling head i2 is located in front of the lay plate of the second group of sections, and a second rare-spiralling head E2 in front of the lay plate of the third group of sections. Each of these heads :2 is driven by a chain and sprocket drive l3 from the lay shaft 5 at the same speed as the main support tube of section I.

As will be seen more clearly from Figures 2 and 3, the main support tube 1 of each section carries a pair of bobbin support tubes 21 and 22 each of which surrounds the main support tube and is rotatably supported thereon and adapted to be driven by the support tube and independ-' ently of that tube, alternatively. On the front bobbin support tube 21 is rotatably mounted a group of six bobbins 23, each of which is adapted to be driven by the bobbin support tube through one or more friction couplings 25. These couplings are adjustable. They may be adjusted to allow wire to be drawn off the bobbin under appropriate tension, that is without undue tension on the one hand or over-running of the bobbin on the other. In this case they serve to brake thebobbins relative to the bobbin support tube. Alternatively the friction couplings may be adjusted to allow the bobbins to be driven by the bobbin support tube without slip, for the purpose of re-winding the bobbins. A second group of six bobbins 24 is similarly mounted on and similarly driven by the rear bobbin support tube 22.

The means for guiding wires 26 drawn off from each of the two groups of bobbins 23 and 24, al tcrnately, may comprise a pair of flyers (one for each group) either of which can be held stationary whilst the bobbins of the group with which it .is associated are being rotatably driven independently .of the. group being driven by the main support tube, for the. purpose of re-winding them. Alternatively the part or parts of the fiyer which rotate around the bobbins can be made readily detachable to allow re-winding of the bobbins when driven independently of the main support tube. .We prefer however, to use a two-position fiyer 27 capable of guiding wire from each of the two-groups of the section alternately.

In th preferred arrangement employing a twoposition iiyer, which is shown in Figures 2 and 3, each of the wires 26 from the front group of bobbins 23, is guided by the fiyer 21, first outwards from. the machine axis then backwards to a point between the two groups of bobbins 23 and 2 5, then inwards towards the main support tube l and then forwards, between'the front bobbin tube 2! and the main support tube 1, towards the lay plate H (Figure 1). When the front group of bobbins 23 is being re-wound, each of the wires 25 from the rear group of bobbins is guided by the flyer 21 in its alternative position first outwards and then forwards to a point between the two groups of bobbins 231 and 24, then inwards towards the support tube and forwards between the front bobbin tube and thesupporttube to the lay plate i, as shown by the broken 1ines in Figure 2. The flyer 27 may comprise a disc 28 (or alternatively a number of radially extending spokes) mounted on the main support tube I between the two bobbin tubes 2! and 22 and carrying at its periphery a, number of arms 29, for instance, two disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the main support tube I. These arms extend more or less parallel with the axis of the machine either forward or rearward and carry pulleys 3b which serve to guide towards the disc 28 the wires from either the front group of bobbins or from the rear group, depending upon the position of the arms 29. The disc carries appropriately placed pulleys 3| and 32 for guiding the wires 25 inwardly towards the main support tube 1 and then forwardly between that tube and the front bobbin tube 2!. The arms 29 of the flyer may be pivotally attached to the disc 23 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 so that by swinging each arm through an arc of it may be transferred from the front group of bobbins 23 to the rear group 25. In this case provision will be made to anchor the extremities of the arms 29 in a readily detachable manner to the front end of the front bobbin tube 2! and to the rear end of the rear bobbin tube 22, alternatively. Instead of pivotally attaching the arms to the disc 28, each arm 29 may, as shown, be supported at one end in a bearing 33 on the disc 23 and at its other end in a bearing 34 carried by a radial arm 35 on the front end of the front bobbin tube 2| or, alternatively, in a bearing 36 on the disc 28 and in a bearing 3? carried by a radial arm 38 on the rear end of the rear bobbin tube 22. With this arrangement each of the arms 29 is transferred from one position to the other by removing it from one pair of bearings 33, 34 and inserting it into the second pair 36, 31, one or both bearings of each pair being laterally openable, as by removal of a retaining pin 34a or 3112, to facilitate the transfer. This arrangement is preferred to the pivotal form of attachment because it has the advantage of leaving the periphery of the disc 28 free to serve as a brake drum 38 for a central hand brake 38 which is operated by an electric thruster til and enables the section to be brought rapidly to rest when desired or in the event of wire breakage. In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the brake band 39 is replaced by a pair of brake shoes 58.

Preferably the wires 25 passing forward between the main support tube I and the bobbin tube 21 are segregated from one another by arranging anumber of small bore tubes M around the main support tube l and passing one wire through each of these tubes.

The friction couplings 25 may be of any suitable form but those between each two bobbins 23 preferably comprise a, flanged collar 42 which carries a friction disc on each face of its flange and which is permitted to move longitudinally with respect to the bobbin support tubes 2| but is prevented from rotating on the tube by means of a parallel key M2. The friction couplings 25 between bobbins 22 are similar. At the front end of the front bobbin tube 2| (and the rear end of the rear bobbin tube 22) the friction coupling 25 preferably takes the form of an axially adjustable collar 43 which serves as an abutment and carries a friction disc'on the side facing the adjacent bobbin, and the friction.

coupling 25 at the rear end of the front tube .(and the front end of the rear tube) preferably takes the form of a collar 44 which carries a 'jacent to it. This second collar 44 is allowed to move axially along the bobbin tube 2| to a nent Wires of any one layer.

limited extent but is prevented from rotating with it in the same way as the axially movable collars 42. Means are provided for exerting'axial pressure upon the collar 44 whereby a frictional retarding force is applied to each of the bobbins when wire is being drawn from them. This axial pressure may be controlled by centrifugal force so as to have a maximum value when the machine is starting or stopping. This result may be obtained by means of a split ring 45 which is supported on radial arms 54 mounted on the main support tube l. The ring, which is constrained to rotate with the main support tube I and of which the two halves are held together as by springs 55, carries inclined surfaces 55. These engage the ends of a number of axially slidable thrust pins 45 which bear upon the sliding collar 44 on the bobbin support tube so that these pins exert a thrust upon the collar which is a maximum when the machine is stationary, gradually diminishes as the machine speeds up and the two halves of the ring move apart, and gradually increases as the machine slows down and the two halves of the ring draw together, thereby preventing excessive slip when the machine starts up and over-running when the machine slows down. r

During the stranding operation the bobbin tube 2| (or 22) carrying the bobbins 23 (or '24) from which wire is being drawn off is locked to the support tube l, as by means of a dog clutch 41 (or 48). During the operation of rewinding the empty bobbins 24 (or '23), the bobbin tube 22 (or 2|) carrying those bobbins isv permitted to rotate relative to the main tube I by releasing the dog clutch 48 (or 41) and is driven at an appropriate speed, for instance, by means of a chain drive 49 to a chain wheel 58 mounted, in the case of the front bobbin tube 2|, at the front end of the tube, and in the case of the rear bobbin tube 22, at the'rear end of the tube. During the re-winding operation the thrust pins 46 of the bobbin group being rewound are locked in their positions of maximum thrust as by links 51, to enable the bobbins to be driven without slip by the independently driven bobbin support tube.

For the purpose of re-winding the bobbins, there may be mounted alongside each section a flaking bar 5| (Figure 1) carrying a number of wire guides l5l (one for each bobbin of the section). This bar may be reciprocated longitudinally by a constant velocity cam '52 so as to uide the wires 25 uniformly'on to the bobbins that are being re-wound from a corresponding number of swifts 53. The latter may be mounted upon a movable support so as to serve both groups of bobbins. l

It will be understood from the'preceding clescription that in this'specification the term "section does not necessarily designate the. whole of that part of a stranding machine which applies all the component wires of any one layer of a standard conductor or cable compris ing two or more layers of wires but may imply a portion of such part, in otherfwords, by'a section we mean a part of a stranding machine which applies some or allof the compo,

Naturally the maximum advantage as regards reduced handling of. bobbins will generally be derived from the invention when the invention, is applied to all sections of a stranding machine. WhatIclaim as my invention is:. )1. A wire stranding machine'xcom'prising' ati least one section comprising axially aligned front and rear groups of axially aligned bobbins,

means for drawing off wires'from said front and rear groups of bobbins alternately and guiding them towards a lay plate, and means forrotatably driving the bobbins of each group independently of those of the other group for the purpose of re-winding the bobbin-s of one group whilst wires are being drawn off from the bobbins of the other group. I

2. A wire stranding machine comprising at least one section comprising a main support tube, means for driving said tube in rotation about its axis, a pair ofbobbin support tubes rotatably mounted on said main support tube, two groups of axially aligned bobbins rotatably mounted, one group on each of said bobbin support tubes, means for driving each bobbin support tube by said main support tube and independently of said main support tube, alternatively, means comprising at least one friction coupling for coupling each bobbin to its bobbin' support tube, means for drawing off wires from mounted on saidmain support tube, twogroups of axially aligned bobbins rotatably mounted, one

group on each of said bobbin support tubes, re-

lea'sable locking means for locking each of said' bobbin support tubes'to said main support tube, means for driving each of said bobbin support tubes independently of said main supporttube' at a speed differing from that of said main support tube, means comprising at least one friction'coupling for coupling each bobbin to its bobbin support tube, means for drawing off wires from each group of bobbins alternately, and means -for"ad.iusting the friction couplings of each groupof bobbins independently of those of the other-group whereby to allow wires to be drawn off underappropriate tension from the bobbins of one group whilst those of the other group are driven by their bobbin support tube without slip for the purpose of re-winding them. v V I 4. A, wire .stranding machine comprising at least one section comprising a main support'tube,"

means for driving saidntube in rotation aboutits axis, a pair ofbobbin support tubes rotatably mounted .on said main, support tube, twogroups of axially. aligned bobbins rotatablymounted, one

group on each of said bobbin support tubes, means for driving each bobbin support tube'by said main support tube and independentlyof said main support tube, alternatively, means comprising'at least one frictioncoupling for coupling each bobbin toits bobbin support tube, means for drawing off wires from each group of bobbins alternately, centrifugally controlled means for adjusting the friction couplings of each group of bobbins whilst wires are being drawn off from the bobbins of the group, whereby saidcouplings are I more efiective at low 'tha'n'atf. high machine speeds, "and means in setting, the frictioncou- 75- pling'sof-each group. of bobbins to. drive the bob-.-

E binssotcthesgroup: without: slim throughout :the; operation ofireswindingdzhemn Ac. wire: stranding 5 machinei comprising: atleast one sectiontcomprisingza; main support-tube; means .=f0r;driuing "saidtube im rotation-about 'its axis, laxpair; ofr; bobbinnsupportf tubes-.rotatablyr mountedc'oncsaid;zmaimsupport :tube, twoqgroups, ofaxialiyaligned'bobbinsgrotatably-mounted; one: group onreach'ofisaidbobbin support tubes;means' for driving each bobbin supporttube by saidmain supporttube-and 'independently-of saidmainsupport tube; alternatively, a; fixed end-collar and an axially slida-ble {collar-on each of said. bobbin support-tube; a-.;plur.alityl ofibobbins oneach. bobbin suDDor-t-itubabetweenzthe end collarsthereon; pluralityof axially slidable intermediate collars 0112388461]:bObhDQzSHPDQI'UWHbS; one between; each twoad-iacent bobbins; means iconstra-iningthe end and intermediate collarsfon each bobbin supporttube to rotate-therewith; friction facingson said collars:for engagingend faces on the bobbins adjacent etherrr; means for: drawing -off 1 wires from eachgroup; ofbobbins-alternately, and-means for applyinga controlledpdegree of fpIBSSuI'tPtO the slidable: end collar "on each bobbin support tube for-thepurpose of exerting a controlled retarding fOICBz-OH each bob-bin whilstwire-islbeing drawn ofi fro-m-itandxfor-the purpose of driving it witho-ut-slip-whilst re-winding it:

6; A'wirestanding machine comprising at least one section, comprising, a: mainsupport tube; means-for drivingsaidtube in rotation about its axis,- a-pairof bobbinsupport tubes rotatably' mounted onrsaid: main-support tube; two groups: of axially aligned bobbins rotatably mounted, onegroup oncachet-said bobbinsupport tubes,

means. for driving-each bobbin support tubeby;

said main support tube and independently of said main support tuba-alternatively; a fixed end'collarzand axia-lly;s1idab1ecollar ;on each. of said l bobbin-support tubes, a, plurality; 0fb0bbih on eachbobbin support tube-between the end col- Iarsthereen; aplurality of axially slidable -intermediatecollars on: each bobbin support tube, onebetweenseach, ,two, adjacent bobbins,- meanscon-r straining the-errdand intermediateoollars on each bobbin supporttube to rotate therewith,

friction facings on said collars ,for engaging? end faces: on the:- bobbins adjacent them; means fordrawingsoffv wiresrfromeachrgroup of bobbinsalternately; a i plurality of axially slidable thrust. pins on each,bobbinisupportitube for applying an axial :thrusttoritsaxially slidable end collar, a. split ring driveniby said main supporttubeand comprisingpartsthat move, outwards against the actionlot spring, force undertheefiect often-m trifugal .fOrce, inclined surfaces on saidiring em gagingsaidthrustpins andapplyinglthereto a thrust which diminishes with increase in speed" of rotation of the main support tube, whereby to exert a controlled retarding force on eachbob bin on the tube-"whilst-wire is being drawn on fromit." f i '71 A wire stranding machine as" claimed in claim 6, having means/for locking said "thrust pins 'in their positions oi'maximum thrust.-

8'. A wire stranding machine compris'in'g a section which includesa main supporttub'e, axiallyv aligned frontfand freer" groups of axially aligned,- wire-carrying bob'binsrotatably mounted on said' tube; rotating .flyer means-:for guiding wires from the: bobbins' oftbe front'andrear groups; alternatitely', towards" a;1ay;plate, said flyerx neanst guidingith'eiwires' fromthe ffront "grouptfirst fout= wardssfronrithecmachizrezaxiss then backwardsrto;

' front group of bobbins towards the lay plate, and

a point between "theetwczgroups of .zbobbins; then inwards-towards said main support tubeand for:

wards towardsthe lay plate and guiding, the wires from:-the:-bobbinsofthe rear group; first outwards from; the machine axis, then forwards tozaripoint between thetwo groups ofbobbins,

then inwards :towards 'themai-nsupport tube and the bobbins ofone group whilstwires are beingdrawn ofi'irom the bobbinsoi the othergroup.

9. A-wirestranding machine comprising a sec:-

tion'which' comprisesamain support tube;axial-lyaligned front and rear'groups of axially aligned,

wire-carrying bobbinsrotatably mounted on said support :tube, a two-position flyer adjustable to guidewiresfrom each oi'said two groups of bobbins,- alternately, towards a lay-plate; said'flyer in oneof its two positions guiding the wires-from the: bobbins of the frontgroup first outwards from-themachine axis; then backwards to a point between the two groups of 'b'obb'ins'theninwards towards saidmain support tube and forwards towards the lay plate-and in thepther of its two' positions guiding the wires'fronr-the bcbbinsof the rear group first outwards from the machine axis, then forwards to apoint betweenthe two groups of bobbins, then inwards towardsthe said main'support' tube and forwards through the carrying-bobbins mounted on said rear bobbin supportttube; atwo-"position flyer adjustable to guide wires from each of saidtwo groups of bobbins,-a1ternatel r,- towards a'lay plate; means for driving the bobbins of each group independentlyr-of those of the other group-for the purpose of re winding' the bobbins oi one group whilst wires are being drawn off from the bobbins of the other group; said fiyer-gcomprising a cen port and: to said central and rear end support; alternately; whereby said arms:extend longitudinallyiof said front andreargroups of bobbins,

alternately, pulleys-on saidiarms for guiding wires: from the; bobbins of the neighbouring group towardssaid central support, and pulleys on said central support'for guidingsaid wires inwards and forwards between saidmain support tube and said front bobbin-supporttube.

11. A wire stranding machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the central support is a circular member *of which: the periphery comprises a brake drum; I

12. A wire strandingsmachinez fori-the manufacture'zoffa,multielayered strandedwire product,

comprising a number of axially aligned units or similar construction arranged in groups, each of said groups comprising at least one unit and containing bobbins for supplying the wires for one layer of said stranded wire product, each of said 5 units including axially aligned front and rear groups of axially aligned bobbins, means for drawing on wires from said front and rear groups of the unit, alternately, and guiding them towards a lay plate for the unit, and means for rotatably driving the bobbins of each group of the unit independently of those of the other group of the unit for the purpose of re-winding them whilst wire is being drawn mi from the bobbins of the other group of the unit.

STANLEY WARWICK RIPLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 1,165,495 Cooper Dec. 28, 1915 1,513,583 Conner Oct. 28, 1924 2,566,973 Yake Sept. 4, 1951 

